Haitian Earthquake Relief » News

Update from Free Methodist World Missions

ayardy — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:44:08 +0000

A major earthquake struck just off the coast of Haiti late this afternoon, January 12. According to reports, the 7.0 quake has caused major damage in the capital city, Port-au-Prince.

Please urgently pray for all those impacted by this disaster. We will provide Hotline updates as soon as reports are received as to the welfare of Free Methodist missionaries, church members and children sponsored through International Child Care Ministries.

Missionaries serving in Haiti include:

Missionaries

Jack Munos and Jeanne Acheson-Munos

Dan and DeeAnn Snyder and James

VISA

Russell and Sherrie Cole

Katie Zook

Steve and Ruth Hersey (VISA Affiliates)

Other VISA Personnel

The 79 Free Methodist Haitian churches have a total membership of 14,642.

International Child Care Ministries sponsors more than 4,000 children in Haiti. ICCM has 53 schools across the island nation, many in or near Port-au-Prince. ICCM Haitian offices are in Port-au-Prince.

Update from Bishop Roller

ayardy — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:18:53 +0000

Report from Bishop David Roller: We join with the whole world in grieving this tragic earthquake in Haiti. Our hearts and minds cannot imagine the level of devastation and we fear that the news of the next few days will compound our grief. I write on behalf of Dr. Art Brown and FMWM, as well as the Board of Bishops.

Yvonne and I left Haiti just 48 hours before the earthquake. All last week we celebrated a wonderful annual conference with the Haitian church. The Free Methodist Haitian Church is vibrant and strong, numbering some 15,000 members and our hearts break with yours in this time of loss.

We do not have any good information yet from the Haitian church leaders as to the level of destruction of churches and schools, nor regarding the loss of life. We are working to open lines of communication with Haitian FM leaders, but have so far been unsuccessful. As soon as we can, some of us will go to assess how we might best respond to the needs. I am confident that the worldwide Free Methodist Church will again show itself to be a generous and faithful partner with our Haitian brothers and sisters.

There were 17 North American FM missionaries in Haiti at the time of the earthquake and unfortunately Jeanne Acheson-Munos, Merle West and Gene Dufor are still unaccounted for. We believe they may have been in the multi-story FM work-team building in Port-au-Prince. That building collapsed in this seismic event and we have grave concern for those three. We call the church to pray for them.

Another two of the 17 missionaries sustained injuries and are being med-evac’ed out of Haiti. We are hopeful, praying and expecting a rapid recovery for these two. The rest of the 17 are well, although not without minor injuries.

Free Methodist World Missions is proceeding with a plan to extract its non-essential missionary personnel from Haiti. We of course want to be available to the Haitian church for assistance but recognize that, to some degree, they could be a burden on the National church at this point.

We appreciate the many volunteers who have stepped forward offering to help in Haiti. However at this time, sending more people to Haiti would be non productive and would only complicate matters for those on the ground. We ask that no one travel to Haiti unless FMWM calls upon you as part of the response team.

We do know that our brothers and sisters in Haiti will have immediate and long-term financial needs. You may respond by giving to either Operation Hope or the Bishops Famine and Relief Fund at P.O. Box 535002, Indianapolis, IN 46253-5002. Both funds have already released money for Haiti. An on-line giving option will be announced soon.

Again, thank you for your solidarity with the Haitian church. Your prayers and love are extremely meaningful to them and to us in these days.

We will send updates as information becomes available.
Bishop David Roller

If you have concerns regarding a loved one in Haiti, call the U.S. State Department at 1-888-407-4747.

Haitian Earthquake Aftermath Update

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:30:35 +0000

Please continue to pray with us for all who are impacted by Tuesday’s 7.0 earthquake near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. International Child Care Ministries sponsors more than 8,000 children in Haiti. We have 53 schools across the island nation and our Haitian offices are in Port-au-Prince.

We have no reports yet of casualties among our ICCM Haitian staff, children, or schools. As we learn of these, we will report them on our website.

If you sponsor a Haitian child through ICCM and we learn that the child you sponsor has been affected, we will make every effort to contact you as soon as possible.

ICCM is already trying to respond to this tragedy through our Special Projects Fund. We will work in cooperation with the Free Methodist Bishops and in concert with many to assist in an outpouring of constructive Christian compassion.

ICCM will send updates via this special “ICCM Bulletin” to the sponsors and friends for whom we have e-mail addresses. You may also check our website – www.childcareministries.org – for information and ways you can respond.

Again, please join us in earnest prayer for all who are affected by this natural disaster.

Haiti Earthquake

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:40:42 +0000

A major earthquake struck just off the coast of Haiti late this afternoon, January 12. According to reports, the 7.0 quake has caused major damage in the capital city, Port-au-Prince.

Missionaries serving in Haiti include: Jack Munos and Jeanne Acheson-Munos, Dan and DeeAnn Snyder, Katie Zook (VISA) and Steve and Ruth Hersey (VISA Affiliates).

The 79 Free Methodist Haitian churches have a total membership of 14,642.